Thicker than Water
by Mogo Girl
Summary: Hawke and Dom have a major falling out. Will the result spell disaster for Caitlin? And will that bring them back together or will the Airwolf team be forever torn apart?
1. Chapter 1

**Thicker than Water**

_A/N: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only_.

_Summary: Hawke and Dom have a major falling out. Will the result spell disaster for Caitlin? And will that bring them back together or will the Airwolf team be forever torn apart?_

**Chapter 1**

What had started out as a normal day at Santini Air had somehow turned into a war between Dominic and Hawke. Caitlin stood in the office staring out at the hangar as String stomped off in a huff and Dominic did nothing to try and stop him. _"How did a simple phone call turn into this?" _she wondered. Sure, the two stubborn men had had their share of disagreements before but this was something on a different level. Caitlin could tell that Hawke was beyond mad and that he was too stuborn to admit he was wrong. Turning her thoughts to Dom, Cait knew that the Italian also had a stubborn streak a mile wide and he would expect String to apologize before he would be willing to talk again. Hawke had hurt him deeply and it would take a while for him to get over the sharp words that had been spoken. Shaking her head, Caitlin thought back to how the whole thing had started.

_Hawke hung up the phone with a faraway look on his face. _

_"Who was it, kid?" Dom asked as he climbed out of the helicopter he'd been working on. _

_"Huh?" Hawke said as he looked at Dom as if he'd just remembered he wasn't alone. _

_"On the phone. Who was it?" Dom asked again. _

_"A guy I used to know in 'Nam. Danny Walters. He works for Army Intelligence now. He said he may have something on St. John."_

_"Yeah? LIke what?" Dom asked skeptically. They'd been down this road so often and it usually led to nothing but more disappointment and heartache for String. He hated to see Hawke's hopes built up to be torn down once again. _

_"He says he heard there was a camp in Laos that Sinjin might be in. He's just not sure how old the intelligence is." _

_Dom sighed as he came over towards the younger man. "String, we've been down that road just last year. He wasn't there. Chances are if we go back we'll find the same thing."_

_Hawke's eyes flashed as he looked at Dom. "So you're just going to give up on him without even checking this out with me?"_

_"I didn't say that String but going over the same territory again isn't going to do us any good. We can't just keep taking off half way around the world on every little unverified tip that comes in."_

_"Well maybe you can't, Dominic, but I'll be damned if you stop me! " Hawke's voice was raising with every word. _

_Dom tried to reason with him. "Look, kid, you know I want to find your brother as much as you do but putting your life in danger for information that's probably old and already turned into nothing isn't going to help anyone. At some point you have to stop putting yourself through this. Maybe it's time you start focusing on the here and now. It's what Sinjin would want." _

_Dom had only meant the best but to Hawke it had come off as a betrayal. "Well in case you haven't noticed, my here and now has always been about finding Sinjin and I'm going to take whatever lead I can and follow it no matter where it takes me. You know I didn't keep Airwolf just so you could have some fun playing spy for Archangel every so often!"_

_"Hey, String, that's not fair," Dominic shot back as his hands went to his hips. "I'm just worried about you."_

_"Yeah, well, no need to worry any longer, Dom," Hawke said as he pulled his sunglasses from his shirt pocket and turned to leave. "In case you've forgotten I don't need your help to fly Airwolf and I don't need some worrywort old man nagging me and trying to tell me how to live my life. If I want to run around the world looking for Sinjin then that's my business, not yours. In case you've forgotten, you're not my father...hell you're not even family...but Sinjin is!"_

_Caitlin had gasped at Hawke's last statement. She knew that Hawke hadn't really meant it but he seemed to lose all sense when it came to his brother. Dom was probably right, Hawke was grasping at straws again but it was all Hawke had left of his brother. He would never give up, no matter how small the possibility of finding him was. Still it didn't give him the right to hurt the man that had raised him that way. Even for Hawke, it was going too far. She had wanted to break in but by then it was too late. Hawke was stomping out the door and Dominic was too hurt and mad to go after him. _

Coming out of the office, Caitlin walked over to the older man and put her arm around him. "Dom, you know he didn't mean that," she said as she watched Hawke take off on his motorcycle. "He's just upset about Sinjin."

"I don't know, Cait," Dom said as he shook his head. "I've seen him hurt before but he's never said anything like that to me. I just don't know what to do with him anymore. He'll never have a life of his own until he either finds Sinjin or gives up the hunt. I can't stand the thought of giving up on him either but String has got to move on or else he's going to end up lonely and angry for the rest of his life." Disengaging himself from Cait's arm, Dom headed over to the nearest chair and sat down with a weary thud. "I just don't think I can help him anymore, Cait. It just kills me to see him so hurt everytime one of these leads goes nowhere."

"C'mon, Dom. He'll come around and realize what you were trying to say...he always does. He just needs some time to cool down and get his head on straight."

"Yeah, well maybe I won't be here when he comes around. Not today, anyways." Dom huffed and stood, putting his ballcap on his head. "I just don't think I can fight this fight again. I'm not going to watch him slowly kill himself over this."

"That's probably a good idea, " Caitlin agreed. "Why don't you get out of here for the day...go down to the bar and have a few beers with the guys. I'll finish up some paperwork and then close up the hangar. We've all got that stunt to do tomorrow. I"m sure by then, Hawke will have cooled off and he'll apologize," Caitlin said with a slight smile hoping she was right but not feeling very confident herself.

"Yeah, maybe," Dom agreed with a sigh. "But I'll tell you one thing, Cait, that boy's going to have to apologize to me first and he's going to have to mean it. I'm not going to let him get by with what he said...not this time."

"I know, Dom, I know." Cait said as she watched the older man get up and walk slowly out of the hangar.

Heading back into the office, Caitlin glanced at the clock - 3:00 p.m. She would give Hawke a few hours and if he wasn't back, she decided she'd head up to the cabin and have a talk with him, herself. Somehow she had to get the two men in her life back on the right track...she just wasn't sure how she was going to do it.

_TBC..._

_A/N: So I have an idea on where this story is headed but don't have a clue on how long or short it may be. We'll just take it one step at a time and see where the muse leads. Also, at this point Cait and String are not a couple. I really haven't decided if they will be at the end of this one or not...it may be more about the three of them as a family as opposed to a relationship story just between Cait and String. But who knows...they could end up together as well. We'll just have to wait and see :) _


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 2**

It was almost 7:30 when Caitlin landed the Jet Ranger on the dock at String's cabin. The sight of the setting sun over Eagle Lake never failed to take her breath away. Unfortunately, this evening she wouldn't have a chance to enjoy the view. There were more important things to attend to.

As she approached the front porch, Hawke was already standing outside waiting on her.

"I was wondering how long it would take before you showed up," he said as he turned and headed back into the cabin.

Following him in, Caitlin headed towards the bar where Hawke was already pouring Caitlin a glass of wine.

"Thanks," she said simply as she took the offered glass. Heading over to the couch, she took a seat in front of the fire as Hawke stayed where he was, just watching her.

After a several minutes, he finally came out from behind the bar and took a seat on the hearth. "So, let's get this over with," he said.

"Look, String," she started somewhat uncomfortably. "I know this is between you and Dom but you said some pretty rotten things back at the hangar. You really hurt his feelings. He didn't deserve that."

"No? I thought I let him off pretty light. He's the one person who's supposed to be there for me and St. John and now he wants to start talking about just giving up on finding Sinjin? Well, I'm sorry Caitlin, but I'm not willing to leave my brother out there to die on his own knowing I didn't do everything I could to find him. Dom should know that." Hawke stood and turned to look at his favorite picture of him and St. John on the mantle.

"He does know that, String. He's just scared."

"Scared? Of what?" Hawke asked as he turned to look at the red head, one eyebrow cocked.

"Of what might happen to you. He sees how much it rips you apart every time you think you have a lead and it doesn't pan out. He's worried you're just going to keep withdrawing further and further inside yourself and he doesn't want that for you. Is that such a bad thing?"

Hawke was quiet for a few moments before speaking again. "And you, Caitlin? What do you think?"

Leaning forward and putting her wine glass on the coffee table in front of her, Caitlin shook her head. "Oh no, String. You're not going to do that to me. I'm not choosing sides here. I empathize with both of you and I'm not sure there's any real right or wrong. All I know is that Dom looked sadder and more defeated than I've ever seen him when you left today. And I know that you are hurting too or else you would have never said such awful things. I just want the two of you to come to an understanding and talk about this before the damage that's been done is past repair. You guys ARE family whether you like it or not. Blood may be thicker than water but the relationship between you and Dom is even closer than that. Dom raised you and St. John for goodness sakes! He didn't have to do that. Don't you see…you guys are family by CHOICE, not fate. That makes your bond thicker than anything. I don't want to see you lose that over some words spoken in anger. And honestly, I don't want to lose either one of you either. I just told you I didn't want to pick sides but if you two don't make up that's exactly what's going to happen and I don't know if I can do that. I love both of you too much."

Hawke watched as a tear rolled down Caitlin's cheek. She quickly reached a hand up and wiped it away but to see her hurting tugged at his heart. He was still upset with Dom but he hadn't thought of the effect the situation would have on Caitlin.

"Cait, I'm sorry we've put you in the middle of all this. I never meant for that to happen, really," he said as he came and sat beside her on the couch. "But you have to understand that finding Sinjin has been my sole purpose for over ten years. He's alive, I can't tell you how I know, I just feel it in my bones. I know Dom's worried about me but he of all people should understand that I can't give up on St. John. The fact that he would even suggest it hurts more than you know."

"But don't you see, String? It's only because he cares for you so much that he said what he did. And truth be told, you've already followed this lead once with no luck. Dom told me about the two of you and some of your Vietnam buddies going to Laos last year and how that all turned out. He's just trying to save you more heartache."

"Cait, I know you just want to see everybody happy but sometimes it's not that easy. I realize this may be old intelligence that gets me nowhere but I can't just ignore it. I have to try everything humanly possible, no matter how slim the chance, or else I couldn't live with myself. What if it was the one clue that actually led to Sinjin and I didn't follow up on it?"

"Is it worth losing Dominic over?" Caitlin asked as she looked Hawke straight in the eye. "Because after this afternoon, I think you have to think about that possibility Hawke. You can either live in the past, grasping at straws or you can appreciate what you do have, here and now. Sometimes we just can't have it all. I know it's a hard decision but it may be one you have to make and I think you need to think long and hard about what that decision would be."

Standing, Cait started towards the door. She had said all she could say. She knew the rest would have to be up to Hawke. Stopping at the door she turned back around. "Look, whatever you decide, I'll be there for you as best I can, okay? Just don't forget we have an early stunt call in the morning. We're supposed to meet at the studio lot at 8:00 a.m. You two may not be talking to each other but I'm flying this stunt and both you and Dom have to be on the ground to guide me through this one or else I'll be flying blind through those canyons. After the stunt, you can do whatever the hell it is you think you need to do but I need you there tomorrow morning fully focused. Got it?"

"You know I'll be there, Cait," Hawke said. "As for Dom, I just have thinking I need to do. I'll see you in the morning."

Nodding her head in response, Caitlin headed back towards the Jet Ranger on the dock_. __"I just hope I've done more good than harm," __she thought to herself. __"But as mule-headed as both of them are…I just don't know_."

_TBC…_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 3**

The next morning dawned with bright sunshine but the members of the Airwolf crew each awoke with heavy hearts and minds. Cait just hoped that Dom and Hawke would be able to put aside their differences long enough to get through the stunt that was planned for that day. Caitlin was scheduled to fly a Black Hawk helicopter through a set of blind canyons at an extremely low altitude that would test her every skill as a pilot. She needed Dom and Hawke on the ground to keep a watch on radar and lead her through the upcoming twists she couldn't see and to keep her at just a high enough altitude to keep her out of the trees.

She was at least relieved to see both men on set when she arrived. However, it didn't take her long to realize by observing their demeanor that they still weren't speaking to each other. "Oh well, as long as they keep open communication with me, that's all that matters," she tried to convince herself.

"Hey, Caitlin," Dom yelled, motioning to her to come meet him.

"Morning, Dom," she said with a smile as she approached the older man. She could tell by the bags under his eyes that he probably hadn't slept much thinking about Hawke.

"Cait, I don't think it's a good idea for you to do this stunt. It's really dangerous and Hawke and me, we've got more experience in the Black Hawks than you do. Maybe one of us should do it."

Caitlin giggled as she listened to Dom.

"What's so funny? I'm serious," he asked with confusion.

"Dom, in case you've forgotten, the character flying this chopper is a female spy who's just left a fancy cocktail party and has stolen a chopper. So unless you or String think you'd look good in a sequined cocktail dress and high heels, I think I better do the stunt. They are going to have a few close ups and I get a closer shave than either of you," she responded with a grin.

Dom sighed, knowing she was right. "Alright, you win. Just be careful, huh?"

"Hey, that's what I got you two for."

"Well, don't worry honey, I've got your back. I just hope String pulls his head out of his backside long enough to do his part, hmmph," Dom said with a grunt.

"You two still not talking?" Caitlin asked with concern. "Don't worry, Dom. He'll come around."

"Hey, I thought you weren't picking sides." Caitlin turned as Hawke came up behind her. "Maybe it's Dom that needs to come around."

"Yeah? Well maybe you need to apologize first!" Dom countered angrily.

"Hey, you two!" Caitlin said as she looked back and forth between the men who had evidently both been too stubborn to make any kind of attempt to repair the rift between them. "I don't care who needs to do what other than BOTH of you need to get your mind on this stunt. When it's over I don't care if you beat each other's heads in but I'm not going to listen to all of this nonsense while I'm trying to fly!"

"You're right, Cait," Hawke agreed as he moved his gaze from Dom to Caitlin. "Hey, I was just coming over to let you know they're looking for you in wardrobe. You better go get ready. Stunt's in 45 minutes."

"Can I trust the two of you alone for that long?" she asked warily.

"Yeah, don't worry about us. You just concentrate on flying. We'll be alright." Dom said glancing over at Hawke with a threatening stare.

"Okay…I'll see you guys shortly then," Cait said as she headed off towards the wardrobe trailer.

For a few moments, Dom and Hawke stood there in an awkward silence, both wanting to say something but both too stubborn to be willing to make the first move. Finally Hawke mumbled something about doing a last check on the helicopter before turning and walking away.

_"Dammit, kid,"_ Dom mused, _"is it really that hard to say 'I'm sorry'?"_ Shaking his head as he watched the younger man walk off, Dom shrugged and headed over to the radio and radar to make sure they were ready to go as well.

**AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW**

Forty minutes later, Caitlin walked out of the hair and make-up trailer and over to the helicopter where Hawke was finishing final inspection. She blushed as he let out a wolf whistle when he saw her.

"Wow, you look stunning!" he said as he inspected the low cut sparkly dress and diamond jewelry she had been outfitted in. "You sure you can fly in that get-up?" he asked, glancing at the stiletto heels she wore.

"Piece of cake," she said with a grin knowing that he'd get her meaning. Since the very first stunt she flew for Santini Air, that phrase had become an inside joke between them. It was her way of letting him know that she was a little nervous but ready to go. "Although I do feel kind of foolish in this thing," she added looking down at her formal attire.

"I can think of a lot of words to describe that dress on you but foolish isn't one of them," String answered with a grin. "Maybe you should see if they'll let you keep it when this is over."

"You better stop that, Hawke," she teased back. "A girl might think you have bad intentions."

"Hmmm, intentions maybe but I wouldn't necessarily call them bad," he said with a wink.

Caitlin giggled. She loved these little exchanges that they shared every so often. It was a side of him that he didn't show to many and she was honored to be one of the few he felt comfortable enough to be himself with. They also left her with a feeling of excitement…always hoping in the recesses of her mind that he really felt that way about her. Maybe someday she would find out but today…it had to be back to business.

"Okay, I guess we need to get this show on the road before the director over there has a heart attack," she said as she looked at the director who was standing impatiently by the cameras. "Did Dom give the thumbs up on the radio and radar systems?"

"Yeah, he sent a runner saying everything was a go," Hawke confirmed.

"You didn't talk to him yourself?" Caitlin asked with concern.

"Caitlin, it's fine, really. The runner relayed the radio frequency we'll be using. I've programmed it in and we're ready to go. Once you're set you let us know and we'll guide you back through the canyons okay? You're one of the best instrument rated pilots I know, you'll be fine on this…just talk to us okay?"

"Okay, String," she said. She still wished that Dom and Hawke were talking but she trusted both enough to know they wouldn't let any squabble put her at risk. If String said it was okay, it was okay. Climbing aboard the chopper she started it up. Giving Hawke a thumbs up she lifted the chopper off the ground and headed towards the far side of the canyons where she would turn around and begin the flight back in towards the crew.

**AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW**

"Okay fellas, I'm in place," Caitlin announced into her headset.

"Caitlin, I've got you," she heard Dominic come across the radio. "You need to start at a heading of 1-5-4, got it? 1-5-4. We'll let you know wh…." Suddenly static came over the radio and Caitlin couldn't hear Dom any longer.

"Dom, come in…I lost the 2nd part of that transmission," she said.

"I said keep a heading of 1-5-4 and I'll let you know when you need to change course to head into the second canyon," Dom came across clearly.

"Okay, Roger that. Hawke, you got altitude readings for me?" Caitlin asked.

"Yep…keep her at about 100 feet and you'll clear the ground clut.." he said with a little bit of static cutting off the last word though she knew what he meant.

"Okay, got it…heading 1-5-4, altitude 100 feet. Cameras on and I'll see you guys in about 15 minutes!" she said as she got ready to head out.

Taking one last breath, Caitlin revved up the rotors and the engine and started her course. A couple of miles in, she knew she was nearing the second canyon.

"Dom, I should be nearing a change in course. How long?" she asked.

"Two miles. Change course to 1-7-6 on my mark, Cait."

"Got it…ready to change course to 1-7-6 on your mark," she repeated back.

About 30 seconds later, Cait could hear static coming across her headset. She could hear an underlying voice but nothing intelligible. She acknowledged the call as a change of mark from Dom and started to change her heading knowing that it should be about the time Dom would radio. All of a sudden, she felt something that felt like a hand reaching up and grabbing the underside of the chopper accompanied by a horrible screeching and tearing sound.

"Caitlin!" Hawke screamed into the radio as he watched in horror the video that was being taken by the cameras mounted on the bottom of the helicopter. "Caitlin! I said pull up! We've got a nest of high trees sitting on a ledge, you've got to pull up NOW!"

By the time he got the last message out, he knew it was too late as he watched Caitlin fight the chopper that was going down fast after being caught up in the unexpected tree line.

"Mamma Mia!"Dom exclaimed from his vantage point in front of the radar. Throwing off his headset he ran towards the Jet Ranger reaching it just in time to see Hawke climbing into the cockpit.

"What the hell happened?" Hawke turned and asked the older man as Dom climbed in next to him.

"I don't know but we've got to get to her!," Dom yelled. "She's going to go down hard in that canyon."

Without another word, Hawke lifted off. Both Dom and him remained silent as they raced towards Caitlin's inevitable crash site, too scared to think of what they might find.

_TBC…._

_A/N: So radio trouble after Dom and Hawke relied on a go-between because they weren't speaking. Yep, things going from bad to worse, real quick!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 4**

Hawke and Dom clung to the fact that the only saving grace for Caitilin was that she had been flying low meaning she didn't have far to come down. On the other hand, it had been a high speed flight, at least as far as helicopters were concerned, and that meant she'd be coming in fast with little time to try and slow it down or pull out. Both men prayed that she'd have time to at least try.

Getting close to her last known location, Hawke grimaced as he saw smoke rising from the ground. "That's her," he said pointing down to a mangled mess of metal at the bottom of the canyon. "I'll see how close I can set her down. You better make sure medics are on the way out," he ordered to Dom.

As Dom called in for help, Hawke set the Jet Ranger down in a clearing about 50 yards from the Black Hawk. As soon as he hit the ground, he unbuckled and jumped out of the chopper running towards Caitlin.

"Caitlin!" he yelled as he approached the smoking wreckage. Looking around he tried to find an approach to the cockpit. Finally rounding the far side of the machine, he could see inside the broken out front windshield. For a split second, he'd almost wish he hadn't looked.

"Whatchya got kid?" Dom hollered as he came up behind him stopping short as he came upon the same scene that had frozen Hawke in place. "Mother of God," Dom muttered as he saw Caitlin's twisted and unconscious form laying half in and out of the cockpit.

The sound of Dom's voice broke Hawke out of his stunned silence and he quickly began climbing over debris to try and get to her. Finally reaching her side, he tentatively felt for a carotid pulse. "She's alive!" he yelled back to Dom who quickly made the sign of the cross.

Thankful she was still alive, Hawke was careful not to put too much stock into the fact as he started to assess her injuries. She was bleeding heavily from a head wound on her right temple, her right arm was bent back at an unnatural angle, her abdomen was bent over the yoke meaning she had probably hit it hard, possibly causing broken ribs or worse, and he couldn't even see the bottom of her legs from the knees down as they were seemingly trapped under the cockpit dash. Looking around he could see large shards of broken glass, many covered with blood where they had cut through Caitlin's skin.

"Where the hell are those medics?" Hawke cried back to Dom knowing that time was of the essence.

"I hear them coming down the canyon road," Dom informed him. "They should be here in about five minutes. I'll go lead them in!"

"Better tell them to make it three!" Hawke yelled back as he positioned himself as close to Caitlin as he could. Leaning over her, he tried to speak to her. "Caitlin, it's Hawke, can you hear me?"

Although it wasn't the answer he was hoping for, Hawke was slightly relieved when he heard her moan. At least somewhere in the depths of her mind, she could hear him. "It's okay, baby, Dom and I are here. We're going to get you out. Just don't move, okay?"

"Hawke?" Caitlin whispered as she tried to open her eyes.

"Yeah, it's me, Cait. Help's coming," Hawke tried to soothe her.

"The trees, Hawke…I hit the trees," she mumbled.

"I know, baby. It's okay."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she said as she grimaced in pain and looked up at the blue eyes that were staring back at her.

"Caitlin, shhhh, you need to stay still," he pleaded seeing she was becoming agitated.

"But you didn't tell me, Hawke," she mumbled as tears began to roll down her face.

"Caitlin, I did tell you. I told you to pull up. I'm not sure what happened but we'll talk about it later. Don't worry about it now, it's not important," he said as he gently wiped the tears from her already blood-stained face.

"No, Hawke, I never heard you," Caitlin insisted. "You never told me. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked with one last gasp before she passed out.

"Dammit!" Hawke shouted. "Dom, get those medics in here, NOW!"

Within seconds, Hawke saw the medics climbing into the wreckage. He reluctantly moved out of the way knowing they would need room to work. "Get her out of here and we can take her in our chopper," Hawke informed him as he climbed out and immediately headed for the Jet Ranger, Dom quickly falling in step behind him.

"So…how is she?" Dom asked as they reached the chopper.

"Not good," Hawke answered stoically. "Dom she said she never heard me telling her to pull up out of the way of those trees? I don't get it. I told her twice to pull up to 125 feet."

"I heard you kid, I know you did," Dominic confirmed.

"It doesn't make sense."

"Look, String…none of that's important right now. Let's get her to the hospital and then we can figure out what the hell happened."

"Yeah," Hawke said absently as he climbed into the cockpit and started the engines. Before he had much more time to think about, the medical crew had removed Caitlin from the wreckage and was loading her onto the chopper on a stretcher. "Let's go to LA General, it's the closest trauma hospital. She's going to need all the trauma expertise we can give her," the medics informed him as they climbed into the back of the chopper.

Without a second thought to anything except Caitlin's well-being, Hawke lifted off and headed towards help that he prayed could save her.

_TBC…_

_A/N: well the muse is definitely in high gear with three chapters today! Pshew, I'm pooped…lol. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Thicker than Water**

_A/N: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only_.

**Chapter 5**

Hawke got Caitlin to the hospital in record time. Landing on the roof of the hospital a team of doctors was already waiting. Caitlin was immediately rushed away to be taken care of by the medical staff as a nurse led Hawke and Dom to an out of the way waiting room where they were told a doctor would speak with them once they had Caitlin stabilized.

For the next 20 minutes, the two men paced the room in a nervous silence trying to figure out what had just happened. They both jumped when the door opened but were surprised to see Archangel enter instead of a doctor.

"What are you doing here, Archangel?" Dom asked eying the spy warily.

"Hawke had asked me to check out some information he received on St. John. I went to the hangar to tell hom what I'd found and Evan told me you guys were here. How's Caitlin?"

"We don't know yet," Hawke answered. "What did you find out about what Danny had to say?"

"String! You can't be serious!" Dom cut in before Michael could answer. "Caitlin could be in there dying for all we know and you're seriously thinking of running off on some wild goose chase?"

Hawke just shot Dom an intense stare and then turned his attention back to Michael. "Well?"

Dominic threw up his hands and walked back to the coffee machine to pour himself a cup.

Michael shifted his weight on his cane uneasily sensing the tension in the room. Figuring it was best to ignore it for the moment he answered Hawke. "Nothing good I'm afraid, Hawke. It's just as you suspected when you brought me the information. It's the same batch of intelligence from last year...just now making it's way through government channels. You go looking for Sinjin in Laos, you're going to came up with the same thing you did before. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well thanks anyways for checking, Michael," Hawke said as he hung his head and took a seat in one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. "I just had to know for sure."

Dom looked over at Hawke curiously, a thought beginning to form in the back of his mind. Hawke could feel Dom staring at him and glanced back at him, something different in his eyes.

"So is anyone going to tell me what the hell happened with Caitlin?" Michael asked, not seeing the subtle interaction between the two men.

"We're not really sure," Hawke said. "She was flying a stunt in which she was flying basically blind with Dom and I directing her from the ground. She was low and hit a group of trees that I had told her to pull up and fly over. She said she never heard my radio call telling her to do so. That's all we know right now."

"How bad is she?" the spy asked detecting the vulnerability in Hawke's voice when he spoke about Caitlin.

"It's not good, Michael," Hawke said as he shook his head. "She went down fast and hard. We weren't even sure she was still alive when we first saw her."

"Michael, can't you do something?" Dom asked. "You've got connections. Can't you see if you can find out something for us? At least make sure she's getting the best care possible."

Looking at the two men and seeing the desperation in their eyes, Michael began to realize how serious Cait's situation must be. But what he saw even more than fear or worry took him by surprise. He recognized the look of guilt in their faces. He wasn't sure what was happening but he knew there must be more going on here than they were telling him. "Yeah, let me see what I can do," he said hoping he could do something to ease their conscious. He may not understand everything that was going on but one thing he knew for sure...neither Hawke or Dom would have ever done anything that would cause Cait harm on purpose. Maybe he could help put them at ease from whatever was bothering him. "I'll see if I can't get a doctor to come and talk to you and at least give you some information," he said as he headed out the door.

After Michael had been gone for a few minutes, Dom poured another cup of coffee and took it over to Hawke. Sitting down beside the younger man, he handed the steaming mug to him. "Thanks," Hawke mumbled.

"String, why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"You didn't exactly give me a chance to say anything before you jumped my case, Dom," Hawke answered with a slight smile.

"No, I guess I didn't. But you still could have told me you felt the same way about that information that I did and you were planning on running it through the FIRM. Why didn't you?"

Getting up and walking the short length of the small room, Hawke suddenly became interested in a mundane picture hanging on the wall. Taking a sip of his coffee, he finally turned back towards Dom. "I don't know. It just made me so mad that you were willing to give up on Sinjin like that. I can't do that, Dom, not even for you. And the thought that you would even ask me such a thing just made my blood boil. I know I over-reacted and I said some things I guess I shouldn't have but I felt like you were dismissing everything I've been doing for the past 10 years of my life, everything I believe in."

"Awww kid, you know I never meant it like that," Dom said as he got up and walked over to String. "I just worry about you. I know how much you hurt when those leads don't pan out. I can't stand to see you like that. And you know, the life you've got now isn't so bad. You've got me and Cait..."

"Do I?" Hawke interrupted him. "Have you and Cait, I mean? Right now, I'm not so sure on either count."

"String, we may have our differences but you'll never get rid of me," Dom said with a grin. "And as for Cait, she's going to get through this. She's too stubborn, just like us, not to."

"God, I hope you're right, Dom," Hawke said as he looked into Dom's eyes.

Taking another step towards Hawke, Dom pulled him into a bear hug. "I am, String...I just have to be," he said trying to convince himself as much as String. When the two men stepped back from each other, it was unspoken between them that things were okay once more.

Before they could talk anymore, Michael returned, a doctor in tow.

"Doctor? How's Caitlin?" Hawke asked before the man was three steps inside the door.

"Whoah, Hawke. Give the man some room to talk," Michael said as he put his hand out, keeping Hawke at arm's length.

"It's okay, Archangel," the doctor said. "I understand his concern." Turning to Hawke and Dom the doctor introduced himself. "I'm Doctor Moss. I'm part of the trauma team here at General and I've also worked for Archangel on occasion. I'm not going to lie to you gentlemen. Your friend is in critical condition. We're prepping her for surgery now. She's got a ruptured spleen that needs to be taken out, several broken bones that need to be set and making it all worse is a pretty nasty head wound."

"What are you saying, doctor?" Dom asked the man.

"Just what I told you. She's critical. Surgery is not going to be a walk in the park but if all goes as planned, she should pull through but you have to understand I don't make guarantees."

"I want to see her," Hawke insisted.

"I'm afraid that might not be a good idea right now," the doctor said as he shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Because Mr. Hawke, I need her as calm as possible before I take her into surgery and I'm afraid that seeing either one of you right now may not be conducive to that."

"What the hell is he talking about, Michael?" Hawke asked, his anger clearly beginning to show.

"Hawke, Dr. Moss let me see her. Cait's semi-conscious but she's not very coherent. She's doing a lot of rambling," Michael tried to explain.

"What exacly does that mean?" Dom asked.

"Well I'm not really sure what all of this is about but she kept mumbling something about static. She also kept asking why Hawke didn't warn her about the trees. After that she started to cry and became very agitated as she started saying both of your names. A nurse finally had to come in and give her a sedative to calm her down. I don't guess either of you would care to let me in on what she was so upset about?" Michael asked.

Looking at each other, the two pilots both felt a chill run through their bodies. Could it really be true? Could they have caused this?

"Doctor, how long is the surgery going to take?" Hawke asked.

"Several hours at least," the doctor answered.

"Okay, take good care of her for us. We're putting her in your hands.," Hawke instructed. "Michael, I think you better come with us. We need to go back to the crash site and check on some things."

_TBC..._


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

_A/N: So I've had several comments from readers believing this was sabotage but just to give you fair warning…there are no enemies or villains in this story. It is just about the relationship of Dom, Hawke and Cait and what happens when that breaks down between any of them. Of course this time that was Dom and Hawke. Although they've made up at this point, they may come to realize the consequences of their earlier actions. There may be some hard truths to face in the coming chapter for each of them. This story will be more about how they react to that than facing any bad guy. I still hope you enjoy…thanks!_

_A/N #2: Not sure how radio frequencies really work so please don't judge my technical stuff in this chapter if you do. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 6**

Michael accompanied Dom and Hawke back to the crash site via the Jet Ranger. As they were flying over, Michael's breath caught as he observed the wreckage below.

"I told you it was bad, Michael," Hawke said as he took them in for a landing.

"Looks like a miracle that she even survived," Michael agreed.

"Cait's a good pilot," Dom observed. "She didn't have much time to adjust but all considered, the fact that she did survive is a testament to that. A lesser pilot would have never made it out alive."

"So what are we looking for?" Michael asked as the three men approached the crumpled Black Hawk on foot.

"You said Cait mentioned something about static. She also said she never heard my instruction to pull up over those trees. I want to check the radio if there's anything left."

"What are you thinking, String?" Dom asked hesitantly. In the back of his mind, he was afraid he knew the answer but was hoping he was wrong.

"Frequencies, Dom. You sent the runner and we plugged in the frequency but…." Hawke's voice trailed off as he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"What?" Michael asked in confusion as he looked between the devastated expressions on each man's face.

"String, you don't think….?" Dom asked, ignoring Michael's question.

"I don't know what's going on here but I get the feeling I'm missing something important. Anyone care to fill me in?" Michael asked with frustration.

"Dom and I were arguing about the whole Sinjin deal," Hawke said matter-of-factly. "We hadn't spoken since right after I got the phone call. This morning we were still both acting like jack-asses and refusing to talk to each other. Just before the stunt, Dom was doing last minute checks on the radio and radar and I was checking out the chopper. Instead of bringing me the frequencies himself so we could double and triple check them as we normally do, he sent them over via a runner on the set so I could input them into the radio. Within these canyon walls, it's really important that we find just the right frequencies to keep communication solid. Off by just a megahertz or two and communication can be spotty. As I told you earlier, Cait was flying low and basically blind because of the surrounding canyon walls. If she couldn't hear us giving her instructions…"

"Then she had no idea what she was running up on," Michael finished his sentence.

"Yeah," Hawke agreed quietly.

Checking the electrical system, Hawke was surprised to find it still working, at least partially. Providing just enough power to turn on the radio, Hawke checked the last setting. Pulling a piece of paper from his pocket, he matched the numbers on the paper to the frequency showing in the chopper. He breathed a small sigh of relief as they matched.

"Dom, frequency seems to match what the runner gave me," he informed the older pilot.

"Here, let me see that," Dom instructed as he reached for the piece of paper. Shaking his head, he looked back up at String, a horrible look on his face. "String, what's your last digit?"

Checking the readout Hawke informed Dom it was four. "Mamma Mia," Dom said as a look of despair crossed his face. "Hawke, it looks like a four but that's supposed to be a nine! The last two should read .29 not .24! I recited those numbers to the runner and he wrote them down but his writing isn't clear and now…." Dom couldn't even finish the sentence and sat down on a rock behind him, the realization of what must have happened hitting him hard. "My God, String…what have we done?"

"Now wait a minute!" Michael said as both Hawke and Dominic sat in stunned silence. "You two can't seriously believe that you're responsible for Caitlin's crash? It was a stupid mistake, nothing more. This didn't happen on purpose."

"No, Michael. We were careless," Hawke spoke up. "We never do a stunt without checking and then checking again on every little detail, down to the smallest thing. Except this morning. We were too damn wrapped up in our problems and we let something slide. Unfortunately it was the one thing that Caitlin needed to keep her safe. Now she's under the knife in a hospital with life-threatening injuries when an extra five minutes from Dom and I could have kept that from happening. We could have, and for all I know at the moment, very well may have killed her, because we were too stubborn to talk to each other."

Hawke jumped out of the wrecked helicopter and headed away from the canyon on foot.

"Hawke! Where are you going?" Michael yelled after him.

Hawke stopped and turned to look at the spy. "I don't know. I just can't be here, not now. I've got to get away from all of this. You two take the chopper back to the hospital. I can't face her right now."

"String…" Dom started but didn't really have the heart to go any further. He knew exactly how Hawke was feeling.

Hawke looked at Dom. He could see the hurt in the older man's eyes. "Dom, just a little time, okay? I need to sort some things out before I can deal with this."

"Sure, kid," Dom answered softly as he watched Hawke turn and walk off.

"Dominic…" Michael started but was interrupted by Dom throwing up his hands.

"No, Michael. There's nothing to say right now. C'mon, I'll take you back to the hospital. I need to contact Caitlin's family in Texas and let them know what's happened. She'll need her family with her as she recovers. I just don't know how I'm going to tell them that I did this to their daughter."

"Dominic, this isn't anyone's fault. It was an accident…things happen," Michael tried to comfort the older man.

"Not on my watch they don't, not like this," Dominic insisted. "I've always prided myself on running a tight ship, Michael. Maybe I'm getting too old for this. Unfortunately, Caitlin is the one paying the price to find that out," he said as he turned and headed off towards the Jet Ranger.

Michael stood in disbelief as he watched the two pilots head off in opposite directions, both in what he would simply call a state of shock. Never had he seen the two of them in such a state of mind before. He just prayed that Caitlin would make it and that someone or something would be able to get through to each of them but Archangel had a bad feeling that his Airwolf team may be dissipating right in front of his eyes.

_TBC…_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 7**

Two hours later Dom and Michael were back in the hospital, waiting on word about Caitlin. The surgery had gone longer than expected due to some previously unseen internal injuries and the doctors were just now finishing up. Although a nurse had assured them that all had gone well, Dom was waiting on final word from the doctor before calling Caitlin's parents. He wanted to make sure he had all of the information before speaking to them.

In reality, though, Dom knew he was procrastinating more than anything else. This was one particular phone call he didn't relish the thought of making. He had no idea how he was going to answer their questions about what had happened. Caitlin's mother was already not a fan of her flying. Dom couldn't imagine what her reaction to this would be.

Finally the doctor came in the room, still dressed in his surgical scrubs. "Gentlemen, sorry it took so long but I want to assure you that Ms. O'Shannessy seems to have come through it as well as expected."

"What exactly does that mean, Doctor?" Dom asked.

"I think we've successfully repaired all of the bleeders and reset the broken bones. We took her spleen out and she seems to have tolerated all of that fairly well. We're still watching her closely for the head wound and we'll keep her in critical care until she comes out of the anesthesia which can potentially be a problem in conjunction with any type of head trauma."

"So, is she going to be alright?" Dom asked impatiently just wanting to know the bottom line.

Looking from Dom to Michael, the doctor waited to continue until he got a nod from the spy telling him he needed to go ahead and let Dom know everything. "I told you earlier, Mr. Santini, I don't give guarantees but I will tell you I'm hopeful. However, it's not going to be an easy or painless recovery. She'll have a lot of rehab and therapy to do and she'll need someone who's willing to dedicate some time to take care of her for a while. If she has family, they need to be informed."

"I'll call them right away," Dom said. "Can we see her?"

"I'd rather you didn't right now. I know she was pretty agitated before surgery. I need to make sure that when she wakes up she's calm and resting. I'd like to figure out her state of mind before she sees you. I know it's a difficult thing to ask but I hope you understand."

"Sure, I get it, Doc," Dom said solemnly. "If you don't mind, though, I'd like to stick around for a while. Just to make sure she's doing okay. At least until her family arrives, anyways."

"Of course, Mr. Santini. I'll make sure that the nurses keep you informed of any updates."

"Thank you," Dom answered as the doctor left. Turning back towards Michael, the spy could tell the toll that the past several hours was taking on Dom. The man seemed to have suddenly age about ten years or more.

"Dominic, why don't you let me make the phone call to Caitlin's parents?," Michael offered. "I can tell them I'm a friend and that you couldn't call because you were tied up with the paperwork or something."

Rewarding Michael with a weak smile, Dominic just shook his head. "I appreciate it but this is something I have to do," he said with a sigh. "I guess I can't put it off any longer. I'd appreciate it if you'd find me some fresh coffee for when I get back though."

"How about if instead of a coffee I see if I can find you a bed…you look exhausted. Some rest would do you good. The FIRM always keeps one of the VIP rooms available here, just in case. It's not the Ritz but you can at least catch some sleep in private."

"Thanks, Michael. That'd be great," Dominic said half-heartedly as he headed out to find a payphone.

**AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW**

After walking aimlessly for almost an hour, Hawke found himself on the outskirts of the city. Seeing a diner he went in and used the phone to call a cab that took him back to Santini Air. Once there he immediately got on his motorcycle and headed out. He'd had no particular destination in mind but didn't seem surprised when he ended up at The Lair.

Something about seeing Airwolf and the solemness of being in the Valley of the Gods suddenly caused him to break. Getting off the motorcycle, Hawke fell to his knees and the tears started to fall. Somehow in the last 24 hours, Hawke's world had completely crumbled before him and it was nobody's fault but his own.

Sure, he and Dom had patched things up at the hospital but he knew that he'd said things to the man that he could never take back; things that had hurt Dom deeply. And then there was Caitlin. His carelessness, and if he was being truthful with himself, his ego had almost cost her the most precious thing of all, her life. How could he have emotionally and physically hurt the only two people in the world that truly understood him, that truly accepted him for who he really was? How could he turn his back on the only ones that he trusted and, other than his brother who he didn't even know if he would ever see again, that he loved?

This was his family and he had done everything in his power to tear them apart. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he thought as he rose from his knees and found himself drawn over to The Lady. He wanted so much to be able to blame everything on the machine that stood before him…hadn't all his problems started since Airwolf had been dropped into his lap by Archangel and The Firm?

It would be all so convenient if he could do that but on the other hand he realized if it hadn't been for the big, black machine he probably would have never met Caitlin to begin with. And what a shame that would be. How much happiness and joy had that little red-headed spitfire brought into his life the last couple of years? How many times had he found himself smiling or laughing at something she had said or done in spite of himself. It wasn't often that Hawke found people he felt comfortable around but something about Caitlin had immediately put him at ease.

It also wasn't often that he could find someone willing to stand up to him and to call him out when he was being self-righteous, or more likely, when he was wallowing in self-pity. The last thought actually made him chuckle. _"And what the hell would she think if she saw you now, Hawke? She'd tell you to get your butt back to her and take your lumps like a man instead of running away. She'd be feisty and she'd be mad but in the end she'd have you laughing at yourself for being such a jerk. That's what she'd think. So, are you going to let her down AGAIN? Or are you going to get your ass back over to that hospital and try to right some of these wrongs?"_

_Hawke knew what he had to do. Getting back on his motorcycle, he pointed it towards the hospital as fast as he could go._

_TBC…._

_A/N: I know it kind of sounds like we're heading towards a resolution but there are still a few more bumps in this road. The muse is riding the angst train and doesn't seem to want to get off, so hang on…._


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 8**

Hanging up the phone, Dom wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or even more worried than before. It turned out that Cait's parents were out of the country on a second honeymoon type of trip and wouldn't return for at least 10 days. During that time, they would be pretty much unreachable. He had managed to speak to Caitlin's older sister, Erin, but she would be unable to make the trip to California herself as she was eight months pregnant with her first child and currently restricted from flying.

Erin had been very understanding, at least, as Caitlin had often confided in her sister about the two men she worked with. Erin had told Dominic that she trusted him and Stringfellow Hawke to take care of Caitlin. She just asked that she be kept informed of any major developments and they would decide how much to tell Caitlin's parents upon their return. "No need to worry them with details that would just cause them extra concern if Caitlin's going to be okay," Erin had told Dom, sounding a lot like her younger sister. "And believe me, Mom's a worrier, she'd drive Caitlin crazy if she was there!"

While Dom was selfishly relieved that he wouldn't have to face Caitlin's mother for another ten days or so, he was also more worried than ever about Caitlin. What would happen if she woke up still angry with String and himself? If they weren't allowed in to see her, she would have no one to be with her. He couldn't stand the thought of her being alone, not now.

Walking back into the waiting room, he was surprised to see String waiting there along with Michael. "Well?" Hawke asked before Dom could even say anything.

Shaking his head, Dom sat down in one of the chairs. "Her parents are out of the country and unreachable for 10 days. Her sister Erin can't fly so it's up to us. Any more news from the doctor?"

"Not since I've been here. Michael tells me we can't see her," Hawke said with a snarl.

"That's what the doctor said. He's worried that we may upset her. God, String, how did we get to this point?" Dom bemoaned as he put his head in his hands. "Caitlin's in there fighting for her life and she may have to do it alone because the very people she should have been able to trust more than anyone betrayed her!"

"Dominic, Hawke," Michael addressed the two men as he took a seat across from the elder pilot, "I don't know how else to say this and get it through your thick heads…this was an accident, nothing more. Caitlin will understand that when she comes to, she was delirious and in a lot of pain when I saw her earlier. You can't put a lot of stock into what she was saying then. You both have got to stop blaming yourself for the crash. All three of you know the risks of flying these stunts, this could have happened on any other day. The only way you're going to fail Caitlin is if you're not here for her now, no matter what that takes. She needs you guys now more than ever."

"And just how are we supposed to do that Michael, if seeing us just upsets her? She needs rest and calm, not a constant reminder of what happened out there! No matter what you say, this was more than just an accident. We didn't do anything on purpose but it was preventable and we all know that," Hawke turned and banged a fist on the wall in frustration.

"Look, we're all jumping the gun here," Michael tried to reason with the pilots. "She hasn't even come out from under her anesthesia yet and we don't know how she's going to react. I can tell you though, my bet is she'll be asking for you guys as soon as she does and I hope you guys are going to be able to stop wallowing in your own self-pity long enough to focus your attention on her." The spy knew he was being harsh but at this point he felt it was needed to get through to his two friends. He understood they were hurting too but he had to get focus back on Caitlin's recovery. The rest would work itself out in time.

"As much as I hate to admit it, he's right, String," Dominic said as he looked up at his surrogate son. "Caitlin's going to need us. The doctor said her recovery wouldn't be easy and she's going to need help, even after she gets out of here."

"Well you know I'll be there for her, Dom. If she'll let me, that is." Hawke said as he semi-collapsed into one of the chairs himself. "But what if she doesn't?"

"If she'll let you?"," Michael asked in disbelief, his own frustration finally coming out with a vengeance. "If you abandon her just because she tries to push you away, that's when I'll blame you guys. If the situation were reversed for either one of you, that girl in there would be fighting tooth and nail to help you out. She sure as hell wouldn't give up just because you told her to. Dammit, Hawke, how many times has she chased you up to the cabin to set your head straight when you tried to run away and hide from the rest of us? And, Dominic, who was the one who was there for you every day when you were in jail being accused of murder for your ex-wife? Hell, she barely knew you then but she stood up to the cops and everyone else never even once questioning if you were really guilty…she just acted on instinct! Now enough's enough, gentlemen, I don't give a damn about your guilt or your pity or even Cait being angry at any of us, understand?"

"Since when do you care so much, Michael?" Hawke asked with surprise as he looked at the spy with a cocked eyebrow.

"Standing up and straightening his jacket and tie, Michael looked at the two pilots. "Hey, I'm just looking out for the FIRM's interests. I need to keep my Airwolf pilots healthy and ready to work, that's all," he said with the slightest hint of a smile.

"Well I should have known!" Dom came back with mock anger. "He's looking out for The FIRM!"

"But of course, Dominic" Michael shot back as he headed towards the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have a job to do. I'll check back in with you later."

"Hey Michael!" Hawke called after him as he reached the door, causing him to turn back around. "Thanks," Hawke said quietly knowing that Michael would get all of the meaning behind it.

"Anytime, Hawke, anytime," He answered as he turned and left.

_TBC…_

_A/N: So how will Caitlin react when she wakes up…Next chapter should tell _


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 9**

"Dom, I don't know about you but Michael's right, we can't let Caitlin go through this alone. I refuse to let her down again," Hawke said as he stood with a new look of determination in his eyes.

"Yeah, but what are we going to do about it, String? They won't let us in to see her."

"Oh yes they will, if I have anything to say about it. I'll be damned if she's going to wake up in some hospital bed with no one there but strangers. She can be mad all she wants but I have to think that being mad at us has to be better than having no one at all. I'm going to talk to the doctor. You coming?"

"You bet I am, kid," Dom said with a grin as he got up and followed String down the hall feeling somewhat better about himself than he had since the crash.

**AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW**

_The sudden jerking of the helicopter caught Caitlin by surprise as she grabbed the cyclic trying to keep control of the machine. Looking ahead, all she could focus on was the ground that was rising up at her much too quickly. She tried yelling for Dom or Hawke but her voice made no sound. Only a loud static and hum filled her ears as the helicopter dove quickly to the ground. Throwing off her headset, she couldn't understand when the crackling of static still seemed to fill the cockpit, almost crushing her with the horrible noise. Seconds to live…she knew that's all she had left as the approaching ground and deafening noise overtook all of her senses…._

_"_No!" Caitlin screamed in terror as her eyes simultaneously flew open.

"Caitlin!" Hawke said as he jumped out of the chair he had pulled up next to her hospital bed. It had taken some doing, including a phone call to Caitlin's sister Erin, to convince the doctor that Hawke and Dom should be allowed in to stay with Cait but they had finally succeeded in making their point. Even the doctor couldn't argue that she shouldn't have to wake up alone after such a horrifying experience.

After several hours, Hawke had convinced Dom to take Michael up on his earlier offer of the VIP room and had gone to catch some shut eye leaving Hawke alone with Caitlin. Hawke was dead tired too but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink until he could see with his own eyes that Caitlin was going to be okay so by her bedside he had stayed on constant vigil. Besides, every time he tried to rest his eyes, all he could see was the image of the Black Hawk falling out of the sky and he kept hearing Caitlin asking him over and over again why he hadn't warned her.

So by her bedside he had sat, barely moving, holding her hand in his. Sometimes he would speak softly to her and sometimes he would just let the silence take over as he gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb in a soothing motion. Every so often he would reach up and brush a tendril of her red hair off her forehead, leaning down to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Even the nurses had been so moved by his obvious devotion and dedication they had wordlessly brought him food and drink so that he wouldn't have to leave her side.

And then, out of nowhere, came the most frightening sound Hawke thought he had ever heard. The terror in Caitlin's voice as she screamed herself awake out of the fog of anesthesia she had been under sent ice through his veins. He could hear the absolute fear she must be feeling in whatever dream she was having in that one word…"NO!"

"Caitlin!" Hawke said loudly and sternly, trying to reach her as he firmly held her shoulders down on the bed, trying to stop her severe thrashing back and forth that had started with her screams. "Caitlin, wake up! You're okay! It's me, Hawke!"

"Somebody help!" she screamed as she fought to get out of Hawke's grip.

"Caitlin!" he yelled at her a little louder, a little more forcefully. "Stop! You're all right!" He knew he had to calm her down or she was going to rip out her stitches or worse.

Suddenly she stilled, her eyes seeming to focus on his face and she looked directly into his eyes. "Hawke?" she whispered.

"Yes, Caitlin, it's me," he said with a smile as he eased the pressure off of her shoulders as she seemed to calm down. "You're safe…it's all over," he said soothingly, stroking her cheek, hoping to comfort her. Taking a seat on the bed next to her, he retook his hold of her hand.

"Where am I?" she asked after a few minutes.

"The hospital. You've been through surgery and you're pretty banged up. How do you feel?"

"I'm not sure," she said as she tried to regain her composure and get a sense of her surroundings. "Pretty lousy, actually," she finally admitted. "My head hurts. Hell, my whole body hurts."

"Yeah, I would imagine it does," Hawke said. "You're lucky to be alive though." Hawke paused for a few seconds as he dreaded asking the next question but he knew it couldn't be avoided. "Caitlin, do you remember what happened?"

"I think so," she stated cautiously as Hawke could see her trying to grasp at her memory. "The stunt…the Black Hawk, I crashed."

"Yes." Hawke said simply as he nodded in agreement.

Suddenly Cait's eyes opened wider as the memories came pouring back. "The trees! I hit the trees! Hawke, you didn't tell me!"

"Oh, Caitlin, I did tell you, but you couldn't hear me," Hawke answered softly.

"No, it was just static…all I heard was static and I thought it was Dom telling me to change course! My God, what happened Hawke? There was just static…so much static. I keep hearing it…."

"Shhh, let it go for now Caitlin. Please, you have to stay calm. The important thing is that you're going to be okay. We can talk about the rest later."

"No, Hawke, you have to tell me. I don't want to hear the static anymore," she said as tears started falling down her cheeks.

"We better tell her kid," Dom said as he entered the room, a pained look on his face. Dom had gotten to Caitlin's room just as she had started screaming. He had stayed back figuring it was best to let String handle her but as soon as he heard her talking about the crash, he knew they wouldn't be able to avoid the subject any longer. Caitlin was just as stubborn as the rest of them and he knew she wouldn't rest until she heard the whole story.

Caitlin looked anxiously from one to the other as she waited for someone to explain. "Please, " she finally pleaded, "I have to know."

"Okay," Hawke said as he got up off the bed and headed over towards the window, turning away from Caitlin. Taking a deep breath….he began to tell her what they had found out….

_TBC…_


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only. _

**Thicker than Water**

**Chapter 10**

During Hawke's telling of what had happened and what they had figured out subsequent to the crash, Dom had cranked up the head of Caitlin's bed a little so she could sit up slightly and listen better to Hawke.

When Hawke was done speaking, the room became quiet, a palpable tension hanging in the air while Caitlin tried to digest everything she had just heard. Looking back and forth between the two men, Caitlin began to read in their faces what the last 24 hours or so must have held for them. What she saw in their eyes told her everything she needed to know.

"I don't believe it…" she started to say as she shook her head.

"Caitlin, honey," Dom broke in trying to salvage what he could, "String and me, we can't tell you enough how sorry we are," he said, tears forming in his eyes.

Looking to the older man, Caitlin spoke before he could continue. "No, Dom, I don't want to hear that!" she said. "Not from you and not from you either, Hawke," she said sternly as she looked over to him.

"Caitlin…"Hawke tried to break in but stopped when he caught the glare she threw his way.

"Stop it! Just, stop it, both of you!" Caitlin said softly but firmly. Still tired and weak from the surgery and her injuries Caitlin had to stop and take a breath before she could continue. Dom and Hawke had prepared themselves for the worst but neither expected what they heard next…Caitlin was actually laughing softly.

Dom looked worriedly at String who just shrugged his shoulders. "Must be the medication," he mumbled.

"No, it's not the medication," Caitlin said as she stopped laughing. "It's just that I should have known the two of you would find some way to blame yourselves for this. Such typical Hawke and Dom, it just made me laugh."

"Well of course we blame ourselves, Cait!" Dom exclaimed. "We should have tested that radio ourselves, we should…."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…would have, should have, could have," Caitlin interrupted. "Just like I should have never allowed the flight to happen when I heard the radio interference from the get go, I should have told you guys that I was having trouble hearing you clearly, I shouldn't been so damn egotistical trying to show you how I could do such a dangerous stunt, be damned the conditions!" Caitlin said. "But we did or we didn't do those things and this happened. We can't go back and change it but we can learn from it and I can bet something like this will never happen again. Dammit, fellas, I'm alive, I'm going to be okay and we're all here. What's there to be sorry about?"

"Oh, c'mon Caitlin," Hawke said in disbelief, "you can't be serious. This was a preventable accident but because Dom and I were being such stubborn jackasses, you almost died. Don't tell me you're not angry at us!"

"Hawke, come here," Caitlin said softly as she saw the pain in his blue eyes. "Come sit here next to me." Almost reluctantly, Hawke came back over and sat tentatively on the edge of her bed.

Now with Dom on one side of her and Hawke on the other, Caitlin looked them both squarely in the eyes. "Okay fellas, now listen up and listen good because I'm too tired and sore to say this more than once. Yes, you are both stubborn jackasses…in spite of myself it's part of what I love about you. Yes, this was a horrible accident that, in retrospect, probably could have been prevented…hell, that's why it's called an "accident". But, NO, I do not blame you or anyone else."

"So you guys had a fight. You were angry at each other and were probably distracted. And I was distracted worrying about the two of you. It happens. It's all part of being a family. And we ARE family. Yes, blood may be thicker than water but as I was telling String very recently, love trumps them both. And the three of us…we got a lot of that between us. I'll get through this…no, WE'LL get through this, together. You understand?"

"Caitlin O'Shannessy, you're pretty amazing, you know that?" Dom said as he smiled at the red head. "I think String and me here, we could both learn a thing or two from you."

"Well, I've been telling you two that for years now," Caitlin shot back with a wink. "It's about time you figured it out."

Dom let out a huge belly laugh as Hawke leaned in and gave Caitlin a quick kiss on the cheek. Leaning back he took her hand. "Well, I still feel guilty, so as soon as the doctor says you can get out of this place, you're coming back with me to the cabin to recuperate, for however long you need."

"Well, I knew that," Caitlin said with a grin making Hawke smile at the inside joke. Worn out from the conversation, Caitin yawned and her eyes started to close. "Look guys, can we talk about this later? Keeping you two straight is a tough job and I'm beat."

"Yeah, you get some rest, Sweetheart," Dom said as he got up with a grin.

Hawke stood to leave as well but leaned back over so he could whisper in Cait's ear. "I'm going for a short while but I'll come back soon. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Well, I knew that," Caitlin mumbled softly with a slight smile as she drifted off to sleep.

**THE END!**

_A/N: So I actually wasn't planning on it ending with this chapter but the muse determined that it should…lol. Anyways, I hope you liked it. I'm thinking of doing a sequel dealing with Cait's recovery at the cabin, a relationship forming between her and String during that time and a more conventional Airwolf adventure. Hopefully that will pan out. In the meantime…thanks for all of the follows and reviews….this one was a little bit of a different kind of story for me so the feedback was helpful and much appreciated. _


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